They’re long, overacted and not particularly realistic, but Bollywood films might be one of the most colorful aspects of Indian culture. Here are six modern classics to get a taste of masala cinema.
Barfi!
Released: 2012
Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ileana D’Cruz
Set in 1970s India, Barfi! follows Murphy Johnson (Kapoor), a deaf-mute with a sweet and charming spirit. Searching for his kidnapped love (Chopra), Barfi gets help from an old flame (D’Cruz) who still has feelings for him.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Released: 2011
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar
Translating to “you won’t get another life,” this coming-of-age drama is about three inseparable friends on a bachelor party in Spain. Watching the years slip away, the buddies decide to make this trip one to remember before moving on to the next stage in their lives.
Swades
Released: 2004
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Balal
This bona-fide modern classic stars Shah Rukh Khan as a NASA project manager who must return to his homeland after the death of his parents. Taking place in a rural village, Swades examines the contrast of development and globalization with traditional life in India.
Satya
Released: 1998
Starring: J.D. Chakravarthy, Manoj Bajpai, Urmila Matondkar, Shefali Shah
A surprise hit, Satya was produced with just 20 million rupees, yet pioneered the genre of Mumbai noir, depicting the darker side of Bollywood through India’s criminal underworld.
Lagaan
Released: 2001
Starring: Aamir Khan, Gracy Sigh, Rachel Shelley
Set during the height of the British Raj in the late 1800s, this Oscar nominee depicts a small village in Gujurat, unable to pay their high taxes due to a drought. The ruling British challenge the village to a then-foreign game of cricket, wagering three years of lagaan for the victor.
Om Shanti Om
Released: 2007
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone
Several films have tried to depict the Indian film industry, but none were as good as Om Shanti Om, a star-studded Bollywood spectacle with more than 40 cameos by the country’s biggest actors.
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